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Overview & Tasting Notes

This wine represents the best qualities of these two noble grape varieties. Strong varietal aromas and flavours of ripe blackcurrants from the cabernet sauvignon, filled out with soft fleshy malbec and then complemented by finely structured French oak tannins. The wine shows great colour levels and firm natural acidity, yet is richer and softer than some previous vintages.

Awards & Accolades

Awards

2012 Rufus Stone McLaren Vale Cabernet Malbec has not yet won any awards.

Accolades

Kerry Skinner - Illawarra Mercury on

Cabernet and malbec work wonderfully together, especially when it comes from a stellar vintage like this one. Matured in French oak for 16 months this Bordeaux-influenced blend is hearty winter drinking with its layers of black and blueberry fruit, integrated spice, chocolate and supple tannins.

John Lewis - Newcastle Herald on

4 1/2 / 5 Glasses - Rufus Stone is Tyrrell’s premium brand from beyond its Hunter homeland and this 14 per cent alcohol blend of 77 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 23 per cent malbec has scents of violets and mulberries. The front palate has zesty blackberry flavour, followed up by elements of peppermint, licorice, cloves and cedary oak. Earthy tannins show at the finish

Jeff Collerson - Daily Telegraph on

Hunter Valley’s Tyrrell’s went to South Australia’s McLaren Vale for this mix of 77 per cent cabernet sauvignon, the rest malbec. Cabernet provides blackcurrant fruit and earthy tannins, malbec and lush plummy characters.

Huon Hooke - Gourmet Traveller WINE on

92 Points - This must be one of the more enjoyable McLaren Vale cabernets of recent times. Concentrated berry-fruit aromas, blossoming rich and fruit-sweet in the mouth, with density and ample tannins. Wine of symmetry and style.

John Fordham - Highlife Magazine on

92 Points - Fourteen years ago, the family-owned Hunter Valley winery Tyrrell’s decided it needed to search for other premium regions to source first-rate fruit to power its red wines. They settled in Heathcote in Victoria and McLaren Vale in South Australia. From these areas have come wines under the Rufus Stone label. This 77-23 per cent cabernet sauvignon-malbec blend delivers a magical balance of fruit, the latter providing an exceptional influence of spicy rich flavours to match cabernet sauvignon’s elegance.

Andrew Stubbs - National Liquor News on

Dark forest fruits with minty notes.

Tom Lynar on

Well balanced with great fruit characters and integrated oak.

Senior Lifestyle South Coast on

The McLaren Vale Cabernet Malbec is also shaping up to be one of the best to date thanks to a stellar cabernet vintage…this year the cabernet was a near perfect balance of fruit and tannin, and only 23% malbec was needed to maintain the ‘style’ by introducing rich, black berry and spicy game characters. The McLaren Vale Cabernet Malbec was matured in 40% new French Bordeaux coopered oak for 18 months prior to bottling.